Solar Distillation??? Viable source of dis-H2O?

[fedge]

Anyone do this... That "hillbilly" fish tank (see post http://www.plantedtank.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7718)
made reference to this...

Seems like a cheeper way to get "soft" water than buying bottles or a RO system../.for some of us cheep skates.

It only work about 8 months out of the year where I live though, Iowa, too cold in winter to work... unless I get a house with a built in green house that would work I guess.

If you have done this or whatever, list materials you used and costs...problems you found ....

[tommyboy22481]

I was wondering hwo that worked also, probably pretty usless most of the year here in WI but interesting none the less.

[you]

My advice is either buy a water still (pricey, they can be found at chemical lab supply companies) or just build one. Since temperature control is not a big deal (unlike ethanol stills) to build one all you need is a heat source, a pot, and a cooling coil.

If anyone is interested, ask and I'll post directions on how I made mine. Another place for instructions is your local library, it's surprising how many books there are on that topic.

The running cost of a still is very low, it's the setup that costs the money.

[bigpow]

Water distiller (Kenmore) from Sears. ~$100
I actually use it eventhough I live in Northern California (where tap water is GOOD & SAFE - not like LA or Dallas TX)... anyway, I have a habit, I always drink distilled water or pure H2O. I can't drink tap water any more. Too disgusting (taste wise). When outside the house, I only drink bottled mineral water (although I hate to see my kidneys work extra hard to filter all the added "minerals" - a better alternative than any SODA still)

I'm new to the fish keeping hobby, but I would mixed in 1-2 gallon of distilled water into my tank at every water change.

Tap water in my area is really HARD. KH & GH measured way over the quick dip stick - also pH is very high (8.4+). Using distilled water really helps.

[fedge]

I looked that distilation unit up.. man that TOO expensive... almost as much as it is to BUY distilled water, where I live...

[Vinlo]

Fedge, don't you just need a box with a slanted glass top and a black bottom for the water to wit in with a channel on the one end to collect the condensed water from the glass top? Seems simple enough to make, you could probably throw something together with parts around you house (depending on how much of a pack rat you are).

[bigpow]

Originally Posted by fedge

I looked that distilation unit up.. man that TOO expensive... almost as much as it is to BUY distilled water, where I live...

Well... if you also use it as your primary drinking water, it would get *cheaper*...
I mean, after all, our health is priceless, right?

[fedge]

Hmm.. I'm not really concerned with that(drinking water).. who wants to live forever?? As soon as I start to forget where I am and have to wear a diaper again(DEPENDS).. I think its time to go to sleep.

[jasonh]

Originally Posted by bigpow

Water distiller (Kenmore) from Sears. ~$100
I actually use it eventhough I live in Northern California (where tap water is GOOD & SAFE - not like LA or Dallas TX)... anyway, I have a habit, I always drink distilled water or pure H2O. I can't drink tap water any more. Too disgusting (taste wise). When outside the house, I only drink bottled mineral water (although I hate to see my kidneys work extra hard to filter all the added "minerals" - a better alternative than any SODA still)

I'm new to the fish keeping hobby, but I would mixed in 1-2 gallon of distilled water into my tank at every water change.

Tap water in my area is really HARD. KH & GH measured way over the quick dip stick - also pH is very high (8.4+). Using distilled water really helps.

last I heard, distilled water isn't something you really want to drink every day. It simply doesn't contain some of the minerals you actually need. Sure you can drink distilled for a while to clean out your system, blah blah blah, but its not something you should drink long term...just a little something I picked up in chem class way back when.

[GDominy]

Correct.... RO or distilled water is missing a lot of electrolytes and other things that the body needs.. its the same reason why you don't use RO or distilled water without a water additive mix for fish tanks... (unless its only for evaporation top off)

[Oqsy]

i also found the comment about drinking "pure" or distilled water a bit strange. pure h2O intake all of the time without the correct salts can cause several problems, including heart palpitations and acidosis. a proper electrolyte balance is essential for proper operation of the heart. Ca,K,Na, and Mg are all necessary in a properly functioning heart, and distilled water dilutes these healthy "impurities" to an unsafe level. there are several articles posted on the benefits and drawbacks of drinking distilled, ro, or "pure" h2o. just do a google search and read up.


Oqsy

[Gomer]

Originally Posted by Oqsy

i also found the comment about drinking "pure" or distilled water a bit strange. pure h2O intake all of the time without the correct salts can cause several problems, including heart palpitations and acidosis. a proper electrolyte balance is essential for proper operation of the heart. Ca,K,Na, and Mg are all necessary in a properly functioning heart, and distilled water dilutes these healthy "impurities" to an unsafe level. there are several articles posted on the benefits and drawbacks of drinking distilled, ro, or "pure" h2o. just do a google search and read up.


Oqsy

That is exactly why I drink 70/30 Gatorade/RO water

[Rikko]

http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cd...estionId=21181

http://www.kombuchatea.co.uk/distilled-water.asp

http://cougar.slvhs.slv.k12.ca.us/~p...lledwater.html
(This one is anti-distilled drinking, but I think it's rubbish. Colas aren't made from distilled water. Distilled water is too expensive! It's filtered tap water from any fountain and I'm sure the same at the bottling plants)

http://www.newtreatments.org/doc/WisdomExperience/107


I've started questioning the "distilled water BAD!!" argument recently because it's another one of those stupid things that we take on faith and don't examine fully. Much like adding Cycle to your tank every week because you need to keep the beneficial bacteria in your filter strong in order to keep your tank healthy. Yep. To a layman it certainly sounds plausible and wise.

How about the distilled? Let's say it's so inert that it really does "leech" trace elements out of your body and leave you depleted.. That's a bad thing. My counter that I haven't seen addressed is that you EAT lots of food with lots of stuff in it. I absolutely refuse to believe on blind faith that water coming out of a bottle or my tap contains magical salts and minerals that are simply not present in any quantities in a balanced diet.
I'd love to see some solid scientific studies that go either way, but everything I've found has been either loosely-related, something about rabbits with Alzheimer's, or uncited new-age stuff.

[mpb]

Going back to the original link and the “Freshwater Aquarium Project”…

WOW!! It is amazing.That is taking the hobby to the limit.
I wish I could have a tank like that but it would be nice planted tank.

[fedge]

Man.. I don't drink paranoid water.. I just wanted to use it in the tank to top off from evaporation...

I would say that depending on your diet that you may need to skip RO or dis water.. (if you eat Atkins stuff you may be lacking... if you are a vegitarian(that knows what they are doing..ie..not sick all the time from lack of things) then maybe not have to worry. Our town water is fine for me... better than my folk's chlorinated crap that is rusty as a minnesotain car.